The competencycontrol paradox in parenting adolescents: Evidence from an Indian mixed-methods study
Adolescents; India; Mixed-methods; Parenting; Qualitative
Background: Adolescence is a critical developmental period during which parenting practices interact with temperament and sociocultural context to shape mental health and adaptation. Most parenting models are derived from Western settings, with limited evidence from India. Methods: This simultaneous mixed methods study drew on cross sectional data from the Indian Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions (cVEDA) cohort, including adolescents aged 1217 years (parent report n?=?931; child report n?=?836). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on parent and child versions of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 31 adolescents and their parents and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings were integrated at the interpretation stage. Findings: The original APQ structure did not replicate. Parent reports yielded three dimensionsInvolvement/Positive Parenting, Poor Monitoring, and Corporal Punishmentwhile child reports yielded five, distinguishing fathers and mothers involvement. Inconsistent disciplining did not emerge as a distinct construct. Qualitative findings indicated high involvement and behavioural and psychological control, largely driven by academic goals. Adolescents experienced these practices as both supportive and restrictive, with parental openness shaping communication. Contextual pressures, including resource constraints and urban stressors, contributed to a competencycontrol paradox. Interpretations: Parenting of adolescents in India must be understood within its relational and sociocultural ecology. While involvement and control function as primary supports, excessive control may constrain broader competency development. Integrating parent and adolescent perspectives is essential for culturally grounded research and intervention. 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
Sharma, Eesha; Jacob, Preeti; V S, Binu; Venkataramanan, Shradha; Benegal, Vivek; Thennarasu, Kandavel; Mehta, Urvakhsh Meherwan; Kumar, Keshav; Narayanan, Gitanjali; Girimaji, Satish Chandra; Jacob, Preeti; Jayarajan, Deepak; Murthy, Pratima; Holla, Bharath; Jain, Sanjeev; Varghese, Mathew; Tripathy, Saswathika; Parashar, Neha; Nayana, K.B.; Seshadri, Ashwini Kalkunte; Kumar, Sathish; Baligar, Suneela Kumar; Arumugam, Thamodaran; Safai, Apoorva; Cyril, Anthony Mary; Rashmitha; Roy, Ashika Anne; Dhanalakshmi, D.; Shivamma, D.; Bhavana, B.R.; Bharath, Rose Dawn; Purushottam, Meera; Iyengar, Udita; Zhang, Yuning; Desrivieres, Sylvane; Vaidya, Nilakshi; Barker, Gareth; Schumann, Gunter; Fernandes, Gwen; Hickman, Matthew; Spiers, Alex; Elliott, Paul; Toledano, Mireille; Fall, Caroline; Rangaswamy, Madhavi; Ghosh, Abhishek; Basu, Debashish; Nanjayya, Subodh Bhagyalakshmi; Ahuja, Chirag Kumar; Khandelwal, Niranjan; Amit; Khullar, Madhu; Joshi, Nainesh; Bhattacharya, Debangana; Haque, Bidisha; Ghosh, Arpita; Nagraj, Alisha; Basu, Anirban; Pandit, Mriganka Mouli; Das, Subhadip; Yadav, Anupa; Das, Surajit; Roy, Sanjit; Maurya, Pawan Kumar; Chakrabarti, Amit; Singh, Rajkumar Lenin; Singh, Roshan Lourembam; Chanu, Ningthoujam Debala; Fujica, M.C.; Ph, Victoria; Phurailatpam, Celina; Gourisankar, Amritha; Rani, Geetha; Sujatha, B.; Kalyanram, Kartik; Kartik, Kamakshi; Kiran, K.N.; Ramya, M.C.; Urs, Chaithra; Santhosh, N.; Somashekhara, R.; Divyashree, K.; Kalyanaraman, Kumaran; Ghattu, Krishnaveni; Rao, Arathi; Poornima, R.; Kuriyan, Rebecca; Kurpad, Sunita Simon; Krishna, Murali; Orfanos, Dimitri Papadopoulos
Asian Journal of Psychiatry;Volume;120;Issue;;Article No.;104965;
Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2026.104965 https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037536246?origin=resultslist
Sharma E., Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Jacob P., Hunter New England Mental Health Services, Australia; V S B., Department of Biostatistics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Venkataramanan S., ICMR Task force study PAthways to Resilience And Mental health (PARAM), National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Benegal V., Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Thennarasu K., National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India; Mehta U.M., National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India; Kumar K., National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India; Narayanan G., National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India; 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